Kombucha Constant Fermentation Crock

Our kombucha jars are hand made with certified lead free and non-toxic glazes. Stoneware is high fired to 1280 Celsius, the clay at this heat becomes vitrified and is turned to stone, the glaze becomes glasslike. It is unable to hold or leach any impurities yet it won’t let light in, making it the perfect environment for brewing kombucha. This jar has been made with love in our workshop in the Gold Coast Hinterland, it is designed to bring a lifetime of service and good health.

Kombucha is an ancient Asiatic beverage. Believed to have started in China, then Russia, it has spread around the world as a health giving beverage. It is best known for detoxifying the body and energizing the mind. The Kombucha “mushroom”, or “fungus” is actually a Symbiotic Culture Of friendly Bacteria and Yeast or “SCOBY” for short. This living organism ferments sweetened tea to become what is known as the kombucha beverage. The living culture in this drink helps to restore good health and prevent illnesses. There are many different recipes using green or black tea, herbs, ginger or combinations. Kombucha can enhance the properties of herbs to intensify their healing abilities.

Before you start- Wash and rinse your jar thoroughly. Each jar is hand made and the capacity will vary. Fill the jar with water leaving a gap of about 4-5 centimetres from the top. This space is needed so the kombucha culture has room to grow and breathe. While you have the jar filled with water make sure the tap is fitted properly and does not leak. If necessary tighten the tap by holding the back nut (inside the jar) then by holding the tap on the outside twist to tight. Discard the water and you are now ready to brew.

Points to keep in mind when preparing your tea: - You are creating a health tonic, start by using filtered or spring water and use organic or high quality herbs and teas. - Do not boil the tea in aluminium.

- Black tea may raise your blood pressure and help to increase body weight. - Green tea may lower your blood pressure and help to reduce body weight. - You do not need to use black or green tea and you may choose to use herbal teas. Fresh herbs are also a good option. You will need to use about 7 times the amount of fresh herbs as dried herbs. - Do not use herbs that contain oil. (Check with your health food store or naturopath if you have any question.) - Remember kombucha enhances the effects of the tea or herbs that you are using. Basic recipe- (makes 4 litres) Depending on the amount you wish to brew you will need to adjust the recipe. Our kombucha jars will hold about 8 litres of tea for 9L kombucha jar and 4 litres of tea for the 5L one. 4 litres of filtered boiling water 1 cup of sugar 4-6 tea bags or 4-6 tablespoons of loose tea or dried herbs (if using fresh herbs multiply this amount by 7) 1 healthy kombucha scoby 1 – 2 cups of kombucha fermented tea or ‘mother tea’ If you do not already have enough mother tea you will need to purchase a bottle of commercially brewed kombucha usually available from health food stores. Method - Add the sugar to the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the tea and or herbs and allow to steep for 10-15 minutes, then strain the tea or remove tea bags (leave longer for a stronger brew). When the mixture is cooled, pour into your Durand Kombucha Jar. Add the kombucha scoby and mother tea. Make sure you have the muslin cloth secured with the rubber band over the top of the mixture. This will allow the kombucha brew to breathe and keep the insects out. Brewing time - This time will vary depending on the amount of mother tea, the temperature, etc. It is more important to go by the taste of the tea, making sure it tastes like cider and the sugar has been changed over. The first batch will take about 8-10 days. If you are diabetic or want to lose weight you may want to wait about 14 days. During colder months you will need to add a couple more days and you may need to purchase a heated base to control the temperature. Continuous fermentation - This method keeps the kombucha continually brewing in the jar. It allows you to dispense kombucha daily and top up the mixture as you go, as opposed to waiting for individual batches. To do this, allow your kombucha to brew for the desired time (see above). When ready, dispense 10% of the tea and store the unused portion in the refrigerator. Then add 10% of new tea. Do this the first couple of times then the tea in the jar will become stronger, and you can add 30% of new tea to the brew each time. For example a 6 litre brew will produce 1.8 litres of kombucha a day. Make sure you allow the new tea mixture to cool before adding. If you top up with new tea in the evening it will be ready by the next morning. We recommend dispensing the kombucha into glass jars and storing in the fridge for consumption. By putting the kombucha brew into the fridge it will prevent the kombucha from continuing to ferment and will keep for weeks. Maintenance- The tap will need to be removed and cleaned out when it becomes blocked. Make sure to not use any soaps or chemicals, just hot water. Carefully remove the kombucha and tea. Remove the tap and flush with hot water. Clean the tap and jar and rinse thoroughly. Place the tea and kombucha back in the jar when finished. If you do need to replace your tap remember to use a food grade plastic tap as you do not want any metal to come into contact with the kombucha. Contact us or visit our website for more info on replacement taps: www.durand.com.au

Enjoy!

Beechmountain Pottery, Durand Water Filters, 32A Jardine Rd, Lower Beechmont, Qld 4211 Ph-07 5533 3611 www.durand.com.au